Resilient connecter



June 7, 1927.

C. R. SHORT RESILIENT CONNECTER Filed July 1925 Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE.

CHARLES 3. SHORT, O1 DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH OOBPOBATION, OI DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01' DELAWARE.

usmmn'r commons.

This invention relates to resilient connecters particularly adapted to be lnterposed between two members desi ed to have a, slight angular movement wit respect to each 6 other. It is particularly applicable as a spring connect on in veh1 cles.

An object of the invention .is to avold contact between metallic parts in a joint of this type, all necessary movements being permitted by the resiliency of a connectm body, thereby avoiding the necessity o lubrication and preventlng wear and rattling of the joint.

Other objects are to cushion the mght-hne movements, to render the assembla e of the parts sim le, and to secure the resi ient element rea ily and firmly to the members that are to be connected by it. The invention consists in the combinations described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and defined 1n the ap ended claims.

n the drawings, in whlch like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the 25 several views; I

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improved connecter mounted on the end of a leaf spring and adapted to be connected to a vehicle frame sill;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the assemblage of a resilient connecter of this invention, with one end of a leaf spring and one end of a vehicle frame sill;

Fig. '3 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, viewed from beneath;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fi 3, a clip or staple bolt being shown in ful lines; and v Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the connecter with assembled arts connected by it.

The connecter is shown in Fig. 2, joining leaf spring B, said leafspring comprising a plurality of leaves, of which the long leaf 4.5 C and several of the shorter leaves are illustrated.

The connecter comprises a split clamp 10, of steel or other suitable elastic metal, adapted to confine a body of rubber or like resilient deformable substance, said clamp having a base surface 11 a bore or other opening 12, and a ap or irerf 13, extending 1 from. the bore to t e exterior. In the form shown, the ap or kerf lies substantial! parallel with t e base surface 11. A l ge 14 clamp 10. As shown in extends outward from the lower portion of the body of said clamp 10, on the side opposite the kerf. its lower surface bein flush with the base surface 11. The sai ledge 14 is a little wider than the main body of the clamp 10, for a purpose that will presentl appear. Clamp 10 is provided with a ho e intersecting the gap or kerf 13, for the passage of a clamping bolt 15, whereby the split clamp may be tightened in order to c amp, more or less firmly, a resilient body seated within the bore.

The yieldingly functionin portion of the connecter consists of a resifient bod comprising a mass of tough, elastic'rub r 16, formed in cross-section to fit snu ly within thebore 12. Said body is provi ed with a 'hole 17, and preferably, althou h not neces-,

sarily, has a layer of hard rub er 18 on its exterior, and a layer of hard rubber19 on its interior surface. The resilient body is of a len h somewhat greater than the width of the c amp 10, so that the ends 20 thereof project beyond the sides of said clamp. A thin curved shim of metal 21, bridges the so kerf 13 between the resilient body and the inner wall or bore ofthe clamp, so that in setting up the clamp and thereby deforming the rubber the latter will not protrude into the kerf and-be pinched by the clamp.

In the embodiment illustrated, the connecter is secured to one end of the long leaf C of a leaf spring B. Bolt 15 may serve the double function of asecuring member for securing the connecter to the spring, and of a member for a-djustin or tightening the ig. 1, the bolt 15 has a head 22 engaging one side of the clamp, and a threaded end 23 on which a nut 24 is screwed and by the rotation of which the clamp may be tightened and seone end of a vehicle sill A to one end of a cured. The head 22 of bolt 15 may have a flattened sideenga ng a shoulder 25 on the clamp, so that the It will-not rotate while the nut is bein tightened,

Instead of using a bolt and nut to tighten the, clam and secure it to the spring, a machine bo t-maybe used, as indicated in Fig. 2, wherein 15 indicates a machine bolt having a threaded end 23 screwed into threads suitably out in the clamp at one side only of the p or kerf 13. Y

at end of the clamp 10 which is opposite. the kerf 13, or on the oppositeside of the center of the resilient body, is clamped to the spring leaf 0 by means of a clip or staple bolt 26, the yoke of which engages over the ledge 14, while the limbs 27 pass through holes formed in the ends of a clamping plate 28, which eng es the underside of leaf C, the upper side 0 said leaf being in engagement with the base surface 11. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, clam ing p1ate 28 is cut away at 29 on the side a j acent sprm leaf C, so as to permit entrance of the end 0 s ring leaf D, and not interfere with its s ipping freely during the flexing of the spring. The ends of limbs 27 are threaded as at 30, the threaded ends being engaged b nuts 31, whereby ledge 14 and spring leaf C may be rigidly clamped together between the yoke portion of the staple bolt and the clam plate 28. The lateral projections 14: of ledge 14, engage the inner faces of limbs 27, and as the spring leaf C is of approximately the same width, lateral movement of the clamp relative to the spring leaf is prevented. I

The connecter is joined to the sill A, or other member, by means of a bolt, or other internal element 32, which is driven through the hole 17 of the resilient body. The bolt may be slightly roughened, if desired, so as to give increased frictional hold thereof within the hole of said body. In the form shown, the end of sill A is provided with two cheek members, each of which en es a washer 33, bearing against the end 0 the elastic body. By means of a nut 34, threaded u on one end of said bolt .32, the bolt may retained in place.

It will be understood that suitable lock washers are used in connection with the nuts and bolts, wherever necessary, to prevent loosening of the nuts. I

By the construction shown, a resilient connecter of the kind described may be quickly and easily assembled to connect any two desired members. The resilient connecter may be inserted into the bore or other opening provided for it, in the clamp 10, the. shim 21 inserted, the parts to be connected brought together, and the bolt 32 forced in place and secured by the nut 34. The clamp may then be tightened so that the friction between the inner surface of the clamp and the outersurface of the resilient body; and the friction between the bolt, or internal element 32, and the inner surface of the elastic body, will be greater within the limits of relative angular movement between said internal element, than the resistance of the resilient mass 16 to torsion; and will be tion of the exposed ends 20 of said mass.

The layers 18 and 19, when used, may be of different degrees of hardness, as desired. The hardness need not be such as to prevent deformation of the ends 20, or, if desired, the hard layers need not extend into the ends 20.

The rubber body can be readily made by an one skilled in the art of compounding ru ber. Where the inner and outer layers are of hard rubber, of course, layers of a stifier compound will be applied to the mass before curing.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be ado ted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Means for connecting two members resiliently, comprising an adjustable clamp, a body of elastic deformable substance surrounded by said clamp, said body having a hole therein, an element engaged in said hole, and members respectively secured nonrotatively to said clam and saidelement.

2. Means for connecting two members resilientl y body of elastic deformable material surrounded by said clamp, said body havin a hole therein and a layer of less deforma le material integrally united to the elastic deformable material lining said hole, an element engaged in said hole, and members respectively secured non-rotatively to said clamp and said element.

3. Means for connecting two members resiliently, comprising an adjustable clamp, a body of elastic deformable material having an outer layer of less deformable material surrounded by said clamp, said bod having a hole therein, an element engage in said hole, and members respectively secured nonrotatively to said clamp and said element.

4. Means for connecting two members resiliently, comprisin a split elastic clamp having an openin erein, a body of elastic deformable material seated in said opening, said body having a hole therein, an element engaged in said hole, means for tightening said clamp, and members respectively secured non-rotatively to said clamp and said element.

5. Means for connecting two members resiliently, comprising a split elastic clamp having an opening therein, a body of elastic,

deformable material seated in said opening, said body having a hole therein, a shim bridging the gapof the split clamp and disposed between the inner wall of the clamp and the body of deformable material, an element engaged in said hole, means for tight ening said clamp, and members respectively secured non-rotatively to said clamp and said element. greater also than the resistance to deforma- 6. Means for connecting two members resiliently, comprising a split elastic clamp having an opening therein, a body of elastic deformable material seated in said opening, said body having a hole therein, an element engaged in said hole, means for tightening said, clamp, a bolt for closing said clamp,

the like to a vehicle members respectively secured non-rotatively to said clamp and said element, said bolt for tightening said clamp serving as a means for securing it to one of said members. I

7 Means for connecting a leaf spring or the like to a vehicle bodyframe, comprising a split elastic clamp, a body of elastic deformable material surrounded by said clamp, said body having a hole therein, a leaf spring, a bolt securing said clamp to one end of said spring and also serving to tighten said clamp, a staple bolt engaging said clamp, a clamping bar and a spring leaf disposed be- .tween said clamping bar and said clamp member, and nuts for tightening said staple bolt.

8. Means'for connecting a leaf spring or body frame, comprising a split elastic clamp, a body of elastic deformable material surrounded by said clamp,

said body having a hole therein, a leaf spring, a bolt securing said clamp to one end of said spring and also serving to tighten said clamp, a staple bolt engaging said clamp, a clamping bar having a cut-away portion on one face to accommodate one end of an adjacent spring leaf, and nuts for tightening said staple bolt.

9. Means for connecting two members resiliently comprising a body of elastic deformable substance, a. confining element surrounding said body and capable of adjustment to deform it, and a second element nonrotatably engaging said body whereby said elements may move angularly with respect to each other byreason of the torsional resilience of the body only.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

CHARLES R. SHORT. 

